The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-11-24

was bile or two 10 the right Of the Nine
teenth Corps" ] observe that one Of the weak
nesses Of the comrade is that he does not stick
10 that diary. and when be leaves that anthem
tic li,tle hook he founders and splashes around
tremendously III he had consulted that littie
book II would have told him that the position
Of he Sixth Corps was a cahelOH or reserve aud
that there was not over 800 yards separating
Rickctts's Division, Of the Sixth Corps, aud
Growers Division. Of the Nineteenth Corps.
See Pond, page 223, whore he says: The
Nineteenth Corps, az The right OF the Eighth,
and west Of the pike, was encamped on an
elevated plain, being separated from the sixth
Corps by Meadow Brook" And again, on the
same page: The Sixth Corps was not in
trcnched. Its position was a supplementary
one in reserve aud il was intended that tie
corps should be foot-l0ose for use anywhere on
the main line, which had been formed with
the expectation OF sending the Sixth 10 City
poiutp SO much FOR the "mile or two
The comrade says: The Nineteenth Corps
did not fight, and left before they had made
any effort 20 stay the rebels" in which he Is IN
error. The Nineteenth formed line along
the pike and made a gallant fight until orders
came 70 fall back, and then il went just where
il was ordered aud not i'm the rear of the Sixth
Corps 10 reform, but 10 their right; I'm proof oil
which j cite Gen. Mrights report OF this, where
he uses language as follows: Seeing that no
part of the original line could he held, as the
enemy was already on the left flank OF the
Nineteenth Corps, Mt once sent orders to the
Sixth Corps 10 fall back 90 some tenable posi-
ton in the rear, and 10 Gen. Emory, command
ing the Nineteenth Corps as his left was turned,
that he should fall back and take position on
the right of the Sixth Corps" Now, this was
from the first lire in the morning aud yet the
comrade says that, notwithstanding this order
we should have stayed.
/ lie says: he saw the cavalry riding back
and forth with sabers drawn, trying 10 stop The
/ Nineteenth Corps" /, too, saw the cavalry al
this task, but
WAS TOO FAR TO THE FRONT
TO tell whether they belonged 10 our corps Of
TO the Sixth or Eighth, and l am at loss 4
I know how the comrade can tell that they were
! from the Nineteenth Corps unless he was one
of the runaways ] will further add that wheI
! the army fell back 10 take up the third and
! last position 10 the rear the regiment 10 which
/ ] belonged was dcployed as skirmishers in sup
port of the cavalry on our right, and in going
through the woods we found about as many
wearing the badge Of ;hc Sixth Corps skulkinl
as of any other organization.
Comrade Griffin. in his flppant style, says
&" IL the Nineteenth Corps had fought like The
Sixth Corps there would have been nothin.
left OF the rebel army" Yet he fails TO ex
plain how the Sixth Corps came % lose sii
guns. Now, comrade, consult your diary an'
let il tell us how your corps, which was ordered
to take good, safe position in the rear, came q
lose six Of its cannon.
Mr.. Editor the survivors OF the Nineteenth
Corps need no apologists for their action i'm TN
Shenandoah Valley, and il is not for that pur
pose that j have written, but 10 preserve ~
honorable memory of those brave cOmrade
who fell in those fierce battles. We know wha
was done there, and we know that the FORTH
cations that we built along Cedar Creek wer
more than useless TO us after the surprise Of thu
Eighth Corps. We know that we formed lin
of battle on the east side of the pike, while III
enemy used the west side, and that we held 4
that line until ordered 10 fall back. And more
we know the jealous disposition Of the Sixtl
Corps; but the families and friends Of our com
rades who crossed the dark river" in thos
battles do no! know whether the diatribe o
these comrades is true or not, aud for this rea
son have answered them.
An Old rule in evidence under the common
law is false in one, false in all" Now, as
think j have shown by proof that ] do no
think either Comrades LoclShart or Griffin Ca
controvert that their statements are either falls
or that they are willfully mistaken, i as
judgment under that rule rs 10 my own stor
of the Nineteenth Corps in the Shenandoah
Yallcy.-D. c. ANDERSON, Co. +, llth Ind
Huntington, Ind.